Process for imparting alpha finish to shoe heels



Fatented May 4, 1926.

UNITED stares CLIFFORD D. UPTON, OF PIQ'UA, OHIO.

PROCESS FOR IMPARTING A FINISH TO SHOE HEELS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFFORD D. Union, a citizen of the United States, residing at Piqua, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Imparting a Finish to Shoe Heels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a process for iml0 parting a finish to shoe heels.

It is the object of my invention to provide a shoe heel which is impervious to moisture, which will not crack, break or be subject to abrasions or scratches and which will have an appearance sufficiently dignified and decorative to permit the heel to be directly attached to the shoe without further attention or coating.

Heretofore it has been the practice in connection with wood heels to coat them with a layer of celluloid or the like which gives the heels an attractive finish, but such coating is easily marred, has seams through which moisture can enter, buckles or cracks, may be easily abraded and scratched, and has a life of relatively short duration. In addition thereto, it is expensive not only because of the material used, but because of the necessary skilled labor which must be employed for mounting a thin coating of celluloid or casing of celluloid on the wood heel.

My invention obviates these difficulties by providing a coating which cannot be abraded, which is impervious to moisture, and which becomes an integral part of the heel. It is possible to apply this coating to heels ingreat quantities at the same time, thus securing quantity production and very low cost.

In this process I select wood heels first reducing the moisture in the wood to less than 2%. I then treat the heel with a filler coating, allowing the filler coating to dry.

I then coat the heel with a jet black enamel, suitably drying this coating.

I then coat the heel with a rubber enamel coating and bake the heel so coated in a ternperature ranging from 100 to 300 degrees. I maintain this temperature for ahcut 2 Application filed April 4, 1925. Serial No. 20,681.

hours and 30 minutes in the oven. The tem- 5 peratures are Fahrenheit.

I thus secure a heel in which the coating becomes an integral part of the wood, is thoroughly incorporated in its surface and on which there is formed an elastic but very hard coating characterized by a beautiful dull finish of a very deep color, giving the appearance of richness and dignity necessary for a heel to be matched on a fine shoe. This is particularly necessary as such heels are primarily used on shoes for women where it is essential that suitable requirements of style and beauty be complied with.

The preferred temperature for baking the heels is 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The preferred first coating is a filler japan composed of asphaltum, gum resins and drying oils The asphaltum is the natural prodnot of the oxidation of high point petroleum. This finish is intended to fill the grain Q of the wood so as to produce a level nonabsorbent surface for succeeding coats. The japan may be applied by either dipping or spraying.

Thepreferred time for heating the heels .75

after they receive this coating is three hours at a temperature 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The enamel which is next applied is a pigment varnish made from gums and oils to which blackness and opacity have been im- 8 parted by the addition of pigments.

The next baking operation is preferred at a temperature of 250 degrees for two and one half hours, whichproduces a tough rubber-like and elastic film. If desired another coating of black enamel may be given the heel andanother baking just as described.

It will be understood that I desire to c0mprehend within my invention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying uses and conditions.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of making a wood heel which consists in sha the heel as desired and then reducing t .e moisture content to approximately 2%, then treating the heel with a filler coating and allowing it to dry, then coating the heel with enamel of a suit able color and drying the same and finally coating the heel with a rubber enamel to give it an elastic finish and which is not subject to abrasions or scratches.

2. The process of making wood shoe heels which consists in first reducing the moisture content in the Wood to a very small amount,

coating the heel with a filler, applying a suitably colored enamel to the heel, and then applying a rubber enamel coating over the first mentioned enamel coating to prevent abrasions or scratches and then baking the heel at a temperature of 100 to 800 degrees Fahrenheit.

In testimony whereof, I affiX my signature.

CLIFFORD D. UPTON. 

